The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1887-10-20
McDuF, Gets There Again.
Editor of PIONEER:-

LuitOr Oh llONEEh.-
The noted piece Of gerrymandering indul-
gcd in by the legislature, in dividing IL p this
county with McHenry county, left a vacancy
in the Office Of two commissioners: the voters
of commissioner district No. 8, believed they
were living in a country, whose constitution
guaranteed that the right Of petition would
in all cases De acknowledged by the powers
that be-. Accordingly when the Board met,
n. provided by law, to fill the vacancy in
that Dist. they laid a humble request at
the foot of his Highness' throne asking that
J. 3. Sinclair, one of the oldest and most
respected settlers, q gentleman in every way
qualified for that or any county Office, he APP
pointed to fill the vacancy. Though this
petition was signed by 1870 legal voters, near
ly all the voters in that district. for reasons
best known to themselves and reasons that
the reader can partly guess from the out
come of the de 81. Mr.. Sinclair was rejected
and to the surprise of everyone, in Greiner
got the appointment. Now be it known
to all men, that this same j. N. Greiner, was
the late County Treasurer, and as yet had
made no settlement with the county and
under the said circumstances in my judgment
he was not eligible for the Office. as he had
at the time been delinquent with the county
for several months, by this act he had rend-
cred himself liable to be prosecuted to say the
least, hi, appointment made him liable to
become direct party to his own prosecution.
During the term of office of said Treasure or,
the commissioners had borrowed money to
run the county with, on which the said
Treasurer in defiance of all law. charged 500
for collection fees and has ever since held on
to that sum with bull dog tenacity.
D..:3o. +Lo low n,a1aS II criminal for INV
county official to retain any money for ser
vices until he receives a warrant to 60 so
from the county Beard. Reports fail to show
that he ever received a voucher from the late
Board to do so, when he made a sort of a set
Element with the present Board Of whom he
is member, the whole buslne ss was white
washed and they made an illegal settlement
by allowing him to pocket that amount, and
in direct violation of the law they allowed
him nav for other services. In order to
prove facts, | give the sections that is made
for the guidence of the commissioners in all
such cases:
R. c. County and County officials Chap. 81
Sec. 81 All Treasurers, etc. etc. chargabla
with money belonging to any county, shall
settle with the board at the precise time re-
ouired by law aud pay into the Treasury
any balance that may be due the county,
within S days after such settlements.
Sec. 50 PROVIDES that if he fail to do 50, the
county board is to at once bring suit against
him and such deliaquent is not to receive
any commission, but is to pay an additional
% per cent on the amount due, but as he
belongs to the ECONOMY party we think in
Justice, Mr. reiner, ought at least to turn in
that 500.
A further proof of the inbecility Of this
county board, is their failure to fill the
vacancy of Justice of the Peace. The law
they have solemnly sworn to obey, requires
them to fill tho Office within 30 days after .
vacancy occurs, but like in the case Of COM
missioner, they have denied the right Of
petition and have deprived Ii cpeople ofthsir
inherent rights and all because it is said thoy
have failed TO agree on q man that is elastic
enough to take in all their dirty work; there
is a number Of other unlawful acts which
these blunderers have perpetrsted on = con-
fding people which l will refer to at a future
time, but will simply conclude by asking my
fellow farmers, shall we honor men for the
good they do to their community and country
or for the blight and ruin they bring on both?
Shall We honor men for the good that is in
them, or for the hog that We find in them?
It is high tims the people Of Bottineau ans
wercd these questions by their acts and their
vote. in a way that cannot fail to be under
stood and appreciated,
p. s. As there seemed to he some mis-
understanding abont the assertion made in
my letter in your last issue, viz: That no
county board can tax personal property for
the repaia of roads and bridges; the follow
ing is the law on the subject:
Sec. 81 sub Chap. 2, Chapter liz Session
laws of 1888.
The county commissioners have general
supervision Of county roads and have power
to appropriate scuh SIMS of money from the
trcasun,y as they deem advisable for i'm
proving the roads not exceeding the SUM or
ratio Of 81 900 to every 100000 of assessed
valuation or real estate in such county and
no greater sum than the above can be spent
in.repairing county roads and bridges with
out first submitting it to ! vote Of the people.
Bottineau, Respectfully yours,
Oct. 17th, 81. FARx1R,